


The Painter

by LynieUW



Category: Joseon Dynasty - Fandom, korean - Fandom, lgbtq - Fandom
Genre: Ancient History, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama, Eventual Happy Ending, Happy Ending, Joseon, Kdrama, LGBTQ, Love, M/M, Painting, Romance, Romantic Angst, Romantic Comedy, korea - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-11-04 06:30:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17893289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LynieUW/pseuds/LynieUW
Summary: A story placed in Joseon-Dynasty. Kang Ha-Neul is the son of The Chief State Councillor.Ha-Neul tries to get through the different exams to become the next Chief State Councillor, to secure the future and name of his family.At the same time, he paints the King in secret.He gets caught by the king's men and placed in front of the king himself.He has a offer and Ha-Neul can't say no. He needs to paint the king's portrait, this leads to a lot of problems and a well-kept secret that Ha-Neul can no longer control.





	1. Ha-Neul

The market was beaming with life. Men and women yelled out the prices of the different things they were selling, while people were looking. Smells like fresh fish, soup and clay hung in the air. It was a warm day in Joseon and it wasn't being wasted. Kang Ha-Neul walked between the different people, even though he was supposed to be at home and wasn't really allowed out. Ha-Neul was the son of The Chief Councillor. He was therefore also chosen to be the next if he could complete the exams. It wasn't really what he wanted though, he had so many other dreams. One of those was to paint, although his father wouldn't even listen to that. He always snuck out, even though he weren't supposed to, but he needed another kind of fresh air. He had taken a casual Hanbok on, one with no colour and made of cotton, so he would fit in with the others. 

Ha-Neul came to a halt in front of his favourite place. It was a little place, where they served Pumpkin Porridge. The best Pumpkin Porridge. The delicious smell sending him back to his childhood when his mother was still alive. It always took him back to that place. He went in and sat down on his knees in front of the nearest table. The owner knew Ha-Neul well enough, that he always had a bowl ready for when he came. The owner came over with it and Ha-Neul bowed low as it was placed in front of him. The smell, making a smile appear on his lips. He was about to take up 5 Pun, but the owner just shook his head and walked away. That was his signal for that he shouldn't come back anytime soon, it could only create problems. He enjoyed that last bowl of Pumpkin Porridge so that he would remember the taste before he had to go back. 

∆

He crawled over the tall wall that separated the royals from the commoners. Inside the wall was the palace, where the king and his family lived, and around the palace was smaller houses where the workers for the king lived. There lived Ha-Neul and his dad. Ha-Neul had never been happy about the separation, but he couldn't change it. The part he lived in was different, you would think you stepped inside an exotic garden. The grass was beautifully green, trees high and strong, casting shadows over the multiple streams, leading to a larger lake. There were colourful buildings with a more calm atmosphere. The smell was pure bliss, all the flowers complimenting each other. The only sound to be heard was the calming sound of the water. It was beautiful, every person's dream, he didn't complain. 

He made sure there weren't any guards when he sprinted to his house. He could easily have been mistaken for being an intruder. He opened the sliding doors to his room, where he quickly changed into his normal silk hanbok, which clearly represented his rang in Joseon. Just as he had got changed, his dad came in. Ha-Neul bowed low. "Your exam is tomorrow. Make the Kang's proud." His voice was low and had just a hint of a threat. Ha-Neuls family's future was on his shoulders. If he didn't pass the exam, he couldn't take over his dads job and they would have to leave the house. His dad would kill him if he didn't pass the exam. 

Ha-Neul nodded and smiled at his dad. "I will make the family proud, I promise" His tone was confident, he knew that he was clever enough to pass the exam, he had studied for long. There was something his dad didn't know though. Something he did after he was done studying. Something that his dad would scold him for if he ever found out. He drew portraits of the king in secret. He was mostly in the thronehouse, where the king was. Usually just sitting on the throne. It was so easy to draw and the king's features were so beautiful, he couldn't stop himself. 

He loved drawing, but it wasn't something that would get him far, that was what his dad said of course. And his dad was older and wiser, so of course, he listened to him. But he couldn't stop, so he kept it as a secret hobby... well, a hobby that could cost him his family's future and his life. Painting the king without permission, that couldn't be something the king would like. 

He had the paintings hidden under his bed. Sometimes he would take them out and admire them, not his work, but the king himself. He had many secrets, some too big to tell anyone. But the King was one of his big secrets.

The night was becoming dark and it was time for Ha-Neul to go to sleep. He had other plans though. So when his dad had gone to sleep, and he was sure that it was safe, Ha-Neul went outside with his paper, ink and pencil. The king and he had many things in common, one of them was that they liked to sit and enjoy the peaceful night. Ha-Neul loved watching the king sitting on his bench, looking out on the lake. It was a beautiful sight and he planned on drawing that, that night. 

It was peaceful and dark. But some lanterns lit up just enough for him to see the king. His lips formed into a smile. He wouldn't say it to anyone, but the king was kinda his safe space. He was relaxed and happy while painting him, well just looking at him. He sat far enough away from the king, so he wouldn't see, but close enough to be able to paint him. As he was deeply focused on painting, he didn't see the guards creeping up behind him. As he was about to drag the pencil, his things were snatched and he was blindfolded. 

He had been forced down to his knees, still blindfolded. He didn't know where he was, but he had an idea. He was getting scared, he had been found out. It was obviously the king's men. Did the king know all this time? As the cloth was removed, his eyes met the kings. He looked down faster than anything, he shouldn't be looking at the king directly in the eyes. It would only make the punishment, he for sure would get, worse. He didn't dare make any move. He knew what kind of position he was in. "Kang Ha-Neul, son of my chief councillor. How disappointed will your father be, when he finds out" the smooth but cold voice, made Ha-neul shiver. His dad was going to kill him if the king weren't going to do it. "I must say your paintings are... beautiful" Ha-Neul was able to hear the smug smile on the king's lips, without looking up. This wasn't going to be good.


	2. The deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ha-Neul accepts the deal, as he has no choice.

His heart was pounding, he was almost sure they could hear it. It was hard to breathe and words got stuck in his throat. Everything was a blur as the king suggested a deal. Not a deal that would benefit Ha-Neul in any way, but that really wasn't the plan. He was tempted to look up, to get eye contact with the king. He knew though, that it wouldn't be smart. The deal was still echoing in his mind. He couldn't say no to it, that was not how it worked. If the king proposed a deal, he had to go with it. "I will repeat it for you. Ha-Neul you will give up on the exams to become the next councillor and will start drawing portraits of me." 

The deal meant that his families future was gone. If he couldn't be like his dad, he wouldn't have the privileges of staying close to the thronehouse. He would be thrown out when the king was done with the portrait. No king had a portrait painter for more than two years. There was nothing he could do. Even though the king seemed nice for giving him a deal, he had a clear agenda behind it. He knew what it meant for his family. "Do you accept the deal?" The king's voice brought him back. But the words were still stuck in his throat. How could he say yes to that deal? His dad would kill him when he got home. He bowed his head low. "I accept your gracious deal, mighty king," he said with a shaky voice. 

He had been let go so he could go home and sleep. His dad not knowing just yet, what had happened. He was sure the king was going to break the news for him. So Ha-Neul just sat on a bench outside of their house, waiting for his dad to come home. It made it run cold down his back, by thinking of his dad. He knew what was coming. 

Just as he was thinking about it, he could see his dad coming towards their house, as fast as he could, still looking respectful. He stood up quickly from the bench and before Ha-Neul could justify anything, a hard fist connected with his cheek, sending him to the ground with a gasp. It was expected though, but he didn't think it would hurt that bad. It was going to leave a bruise and the king would probably be happy to see it when he had to paint him. Never in his twenty years of living, had his father hit him that hard. It was clear to Ha-Neul that the only thing holding his father back from actually killing him was that he was his only family. "You have dishonoured the family name. You are no longer a Kang, I won't be associated with you. You are not welcome home anymore." Ha-Neul had expected being beaten, but not to be disowned by his father. It made sense though, he ruined his family's future right. 

Ha-Neul bowed his head low while he was packing. He already knew where he was going to live. He had a good friend since childhood, that he was with constantly. He would for sure help him. Seok-Jin and he were best friends since their mothers had been too. They always stayed together, talked about everything, except some things of course. 

He left the house he had called home for twenty years. It was a weird almost making his eyes water. But he had cried enough, even though he wouldn't admit it. But what human wouldn't cry when they got disowned by their family. Seok-Jin's house was closer to the thronehouse since he was the brother of the king.  He knocked lightly on the door, waiting to see the familiar, almost family-like face, that he needed at the moment. A widespread smile appeared on Ha-Neul's face when Seok-Jin was right in front of him. He didn't seem surprised at all, to see him there at that time of the day. Maybe he heard what kind of deal the king had given him? He sighed heavily, before letting Ha-Neul in. 

Seok-Jin lived alone in a house much bigger and more modern than his. It was beautiful with much more space and colour. The decorations consisted of swords and beautiful paintings. Some he had painted even, since Seok-Jin were very supported of his hobby. "I have known since the morning. I made the guestroom ready for you" It surprised Ha-Neul. Seok-Jin had really expected his dad to throw him out? "Seems like I didn't know my dad as well as others" he mumbled sadly. Seok-Jin laid a hand on Ha-Neul's shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze. "It will be fine, you can stay here as long as you like" Ha-Neul smiled and relaxed a bit. Just for a moment, before Seok-Jin poked his cheek, where his dad hit him and Ha-Neul hissed in pain. "Kang Ji-Hun got a mean swing" he laughed before giving him a sympathic look.

Seok-Jin was a loving and generous friend. He had always been. He and Ha-Neul shared many opinions when it came to society. He would have been a great king if it weren't because he was younger. Ha-Neul had always admired him, he was someone he looked up to and wanted to be like. So it was hard to see is life falling apart, because he wouldn't have the chance to redeem himself. 

He put his stuff into the guestroom, it was not much just his painting tools and clothes. He had just wanted to get out of the house as fast as humanly possible. As he walked out again, Seok-Jin sat outside on a bench. His house was close to the same lake that he was caught painting. It was a beautiful view. Ha-Neul sat beside him with a tired sigh. "It was stupid, but the only thing I regret is being caught" he whispered. He knew Seok-Jin would want to know what was going on. Ha-Neul owed him that much since he got permission to stay at his house. "Why did you do it? They said it wasn't the first time, they knew" it didn't surprise Ha-Neul that they knew, of course, they did. He wasn't that sneaky. But he couldn't tell Seok-Jin why he did it, why he painted just the king. "I don't wanna force it out of you, but we never had any secrets." They looked at each other for a long time, before Ha-Neul looked down. "I will tell you at some point, but not yet" After that they both sat in silence and enjoyed the view. 

∆

The next morning guards had shown up at Seok-Jin's door to get a hold of Ha-Neul. The king wanted to see him so they could discuss what he had to do. He had taken on a very expensive hanbok since it was the king. Just thinking about it made him sweat. His heart was running wild and he was just on his way to the throne room. He was shaking when they stopped in front of the big doors to the room. The heavy doors opening, making it rumble. He swallowed nervously before following the guards, keeping his eyes to the floor, before he was put to his knees and he heard the footsteps of the king coming closer. "Kang Ha-Neul, let's discuss what you are going to do" 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until next time.


	3. The king

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to hear a bit about the king

The king was sneaky and clever. He knew what he was doing, he knew what pain it would course Ha-Neul's family. He was ruthless, he heard so many stories from his dad when he got home. Ha-Neul never believed him, because he saw a different king when he painted him. But now he understood what his dad said. "You will be waiting for my order for when I need you. I expect you to be close to the thronehouse at all times, so you can be found, when you need to do your job" Staying close? He wouldn't be able to go out at all? He wouldn't have any free time. "You won't be able to take your everyday tours to the market. Ah yes, people have seen you" That was something Ha-Neul hadn't expected. They had spied on him? He remained silent though, he wouldn't want to cut in if the king were still talking. "There's nothing more to discuss here, you will be available at all time." Ha-Neul nodded before he was pulled up from his knees and his eyes met yet again the kings. He froze for a moment. Those dark and cold eyes made his heart beat faster, and it was not in a good way. It made him scared. The king seemed to notice that or maybe it was just because of the bruise on his cheek since a smirk found a way on to his face. "Seems like Kang Ji-Hun got mad," he said with slight amusement. 

He was back at Seok-Jin's place. He told him all about what he was supposed to do, and that he had to be available at all times, which was one of the things he had the most trouble conforming to. He liked to be outside and among a lot of people, he didn't like to feel restricted like that. "I don't like this" Ha-Neul said with a sour face. Seok-Jin just laughed and leaned back against the bench back. "You got yourself in this trouble by painting the king with permission." Ha-Neul rolled his eyes. Why did he have to tell him something he already knew. He knew what he did was stupid, now he just wanted to complain. Even though that would get him nowhere. "How is your cheek today?" Ha-Neul touched his cheek gently, thinking back to the king's comment, making him mad. He hissed when Seok-Jin pressed on it before laughing. "Why did you do that?!" he smacked Seok-Jin's hand away before gently stroking the cheek. "When are you going to talk to your dad?" the mentioning of his dad seemed to slow down his whole day. He suddenly felt more down than when he was in front of the king. Thinking about that he didn't have a family anymore made him anxious and sad. "I don't... think he wants to talk to me," he said sadly. Seok-Jin rubbed his shoulder gently and sighed. "I'm sure he is going to come around, don't worry about it." Maybe he was right, his dad couldn't stay mad at him, could he? 

It had been a long day and it was getting dark. Ha-Neul was about to call it a day when one of the kings men were outside of the house, saying that the king needed him. He didn't understand, at this time of the evening? He wouldn't ask any questions out loud though, so he just grabbed his things and followed the guards to the same lake he was at two days ago. He could see the king sitting at the same spot. Was he going to draw the same painting he tried to that evening? Reminding him of that horrible time that was still clear in his mind. 

He stood in front of the king and bowed low, keeping his glance aimed at the ground. "Ha-Neul, you are going to draw the exact same painting you tried to, two nights ago." Ha-Neul just nodded and took the things he needed. His forehead was already beginning to create sweat, his hands were shaking. Would he even be able to do this? He felt the pressure, it was painting to the king, it had to be perfect. If it weren't he could risk getting a worse punishment. He took a deep breath, before backing up a bit, so it was the same distance as last time. He wanted to get everything like it was before. He started to paint the king, trying to make his hand stop shaking and just relax. They were going to sit there for some time. 

He was almost certain that his clothes were soaked, but it was just in his mind. He was finally done with the painting and he was for sure not ready to show it to the king. He stood up and looked at what he had done. It was better than any painting he had done and it was under pressure. But the king has had many portraits done by someone who certainly was better than he would ever be. He was doomed but the king was waiting. He took his stuff with him and walked up to him and bowed. He gave the painting to the man standing beside the king, who was another councillor. Ha-Neul was happy that it wasn't his father, he wouldn't have been able to concentrate at all. The guy showed the painting to the king and Ha-Neul had begun to shake again. The king took his time looking at it and the small looks Ha-Neul sneaked in, he didn't look too impressed, which made his heart race. "For someone, I have seen paint so much, I expected more of you Ha-Neul. It's.a start none the less, I want better results next time. Go home and get some rest." It was a major slap to the face and on top of that, the king crumbled up the drawing. But to be fair, he thought his life was over when he was done painting, so the fact that he got another chance was better than he had thought. 

He went back to Seok-Jin's house with a tired and defeated expression. It was quite so he guessed that his friend had already gone to sleep. With heavy footsteps, he went to his room slowly changing into his sleepwear, before just passing out. The day had been long and tiring, and it was just the beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until next time.


	4. Secrets

Days went by where he sometimes was called to paint the king and every time the king would express disappointment, making Ha-Neul fear for his life. He hadn't been able to talk to his dad at all, every time he saw him, his dad would just ignore him. He understood why as he embarrassed the family. But he missed his dad more and more. Seok-Jin was beginning to nag, but it wasn't about helping with the house, it was about his secrets. He wanted to know what Ha-Neul was hiding. Ha-Neul knew that he would never be able to tell him the truth, he would never be able to talk to his best friend about something that basically took up his whole life. Seok-Jin was the nicest human he had ever encountered, he would never hurt a fly and he always supported everyone. Though Ha-Neul knew that the kindness had a limit. Seok-Jin wouldn't accept it, it wasn't something Ha-Neul thought, it was something he knew. He had known him all his life. Even if he did tell him, his secret would be spread around, not necessarily Seok-Jin's fault, but others. If it reached the higher-ups, not only would he himself get in trouble, but his dad would most likely lose his title and be thrown out forever. He couldn't do that to his dad, he already caused him enough trouble as it was. Ha-Neul would have to live with his secret all his life, never being able to tell anyone. He would be lying if he said it didn't keep him up at night. Not being able to talk to someone, about what bothered him, took a toll on him. He couldn't describe the feeling, but he was just sad all the time, never had the energy for anything, not even the things he liked. Seok-Jin had caught on and tried to talk, but it always ended up with Ha-Neul going to his room and sleeping early.

It was afternoon and the king had sent his men after Ha-Neul. He slowly got a hold of his stuff, not very excited to go paint. It was the first time he felt like that. He always wanted to paint as a job, to earn money doing what he loved, but this just drained him from everything. As he was guided to the king his mind grew worried. They were inside the king's palace, usually, they would be outside or in another building. His chest tightened and his heart started to beat faster. What was going to happen, had the king become tired of his paintings already, didn't they live up to his expectations? So many negative thoughts, worst case scenarios, ran through his mind all at once. Until they came to a halt and it felt like he stopped breathing altogether. He wanted to ask where they were taking him, but he knew his place and knew not to talk. "We have Kang Ha-Neul, your grace" He hugged his painting supplies to his chest, dreading the voice that came from the room not long after. "You may enter"

They had left Ha-Neul and the king to themselves. Something that never happened, he was never left alone with him. Everything was different this time, differences that he didn't like, as they made him nervous. The king had just told him to draw him as he was sitting in an upright position with a traditional royal hanbok on. He was... He looked nice. But it wasn't something Ha-Neul wanted to think about. Not after it became his job to draw him, not after he took all his dreams away. But there was just something about him that drew Ha-Neul in. He moved the brush lightly over the paper, but his mind was somewhere far away. The king must have noticed as his eyes pierced Ha-Neul. "Concentrate Mr. Kang! I don't want another bad painting from you, or else it will be worse for yourself" Ha-Neul bowed his head low, his heart almost jumping out of his chest. "Sorry your grace," he said hastily and concentrated. So this was his last chance to impress the king, if he didn't he wasn't needed anymore and who knew what would happen to him then. 

His lips were a swollen mess after he had bitten them so many times, just concentration on making it a masterpiece. His hands had started to shake and sweat was forming on his forehead. But he was done, there was nothing more to do and he was afraid he would ruin it if he kept going. He laid the brush down and swallowed nervously. "It's done, your grace" he almost whispered, but the king heard and walked towards him. Ha-Neul bowed his head low and handed the king the painting, being careful not to touch the paint. The silence was killing him. The king just looked at the painting, not uttering a word and not showing any kind of emotion. His whole body had started to shake as he awaited the judgement of the king. He heard a sound of admiration from the king, that made his whole body stiffen. The king looked straight at him and laid the painting down, before sitting down in front of Ha-Neul. "Much better today Mr. Kang. I must say I have been very disappointed by the earlier works, but this was... better. You have a second chance, but I wanna see something much better" His words made Ha-Neul relax, even though they weren't all great. But the mention of him getting a second chance was something to celebrate. Without thinking much he gathered his things and stood up, bowing multiple time, saying thank you, before going to the door, until he heard the king clearing his throat. "I didn't give you permission to go, did I? Mr. Kang" Ha-Neul swallowed thickly turning around and looked terrified at the king, making him laugh. He surely thought he was pathetic, looking all scared, but who wouldn't be! The king was ruthless, that was all anyone heard about him. He had never kept a lover, they all ran away and no one dared to give their daughters to him. It didn't seem like he was all that interested in getting a wife anyway. "I'm sorry your grace," he said before sitting down again, laying his things down. He made a mistake, it was stupid. He knew he wasn't supposed to go before the king said, but he had gotten ahead of himself. The king just nodded and looked at Ha-Neul with an amused smile. "I wanna talk to you about why you painted me, why you followed me around hidden" he started with a smooth voice. Ha-Neul's eyes became wide and confused. He had known he was there all along? Why didn't he do something about it sooner then? His cheeks became red with embarrassment and he couldn't look at the king at all. "The ones around you may not see it, but as one who is good at reading people, I know the secret you are keeping" He furrowed his brows, he grew even more confused. How could he know anything? He wasn't obvious at all, not when he was together with someone? He looked up quickly at the king, the surprise was written all over his face. Had he looked at Ha-Neul as much as he had looked at him? Since he had caught him at times when he was alone? "Do you find me eye-catching?" The words from the king came as a surprise. The smirk on his face making everything clear to Ha-Neul. He knew his secret.


	5. Fears

His heart was beating out of his chest and he felt something settling in his throat, making him want to almost gag. He felt nauseous, just sitting and looking at the king in front of him. He knew and Ha-Neul wasn't able to deny it. He might as well have said goodbye to the world, because there was no way in hell that the king would let him go, after knowing that secret. He had heard that people who thought the same as him had been killed, because Joseon couldn't have sick people around them. That's what they were, sick. Ha-Neul had lived with that thought for some time, trying different kinds of medicine, sometimes leaving him sicker than he already was. He had tried to suppress the feelings, trying to not look at any man, but it wasn't possible and he came to accept himself as he was, but never being able to act on it. 

The king just sad silently and looked at Ha-Neul. He knew what he was doing, making him sit there and dwell in his own hell. A smooth voice disturbed him and the king got his attention. "You know what people do to you, right?" The words struck fear through his body, a sound of fear escaping him. He didn't know how to respond, it was silent, the only thing they were able to hear was his raspy breath of fear, as it all settled in. He was going to die, the King would call his men and inform them of his sin, and they would take him away, where he would wait to be executed. That's what they did. 

The king only watched amused as he saw poor Ha-Neul turn into an anxious mess, not knowing what to do to himself. All kinds of thoughts were running through the guys head. Although he grew tired of seeing Ha-Neul on edge and decided to open his mouth, to Ha-Neul's fear.        "Most of the sinners like you get burned or hanged, some even get beaten to death. Wonder what would happen to you" the mocking tone in the king's voice was enough for Ha-Neul to shed tears of pure fear. He never cried! Ever! But he feared for his life, that fear could make people do things they never thought. 

The king just chuckled, that sick... No, he couldn't even think that! But he really was one. "Calm down. I have another deal for you. I will keep your secret if you become my servant" What! Ha-Neul looked silently at him with a rather dumbfounded expression. He wanted to be his servant?! He... He couldn't do that. Well, he was the king... But it wasn't fair! It would be such a major step down, he wouldn't have any freedom, the king would own him, he would be at the bottom of the food chain! It was either that or death. He wasn't sure losing his freedom was better than death. But his fear got the better of him. 

"It would be an honour Your Majesty, thank you" It took everything in him to bow and thank him for it. He just said yes to be humiliated even further, than he already had been. But there was nothing he could do, it was that or his life. It felt like he was getting pulled into the web of the King. He didn't even know why though, what did the King want with him?

 

∆

 

He was back at Seok-Jin's. The king had made the contract and Ha-Neul had been forced to sign it if he wanted to keep his life. He had been moping around all day and Seok-Jin tried to talk to him, trying to find out what was going on. But Ha-Neul couldn't risk anything anymore. Seok-Jin was the only one he could trust and rely on. His dad would for sure not have anything to do with him when he learned that he had signed himself over to the king. And if Seok-Jin knew just the half of it, he would lose him too. 

"Ha-Neul if this goes on, you have to tell me. I can't have you live with me when you are like this" His words made Ha-Neul anxious. It was just another thing added to his concerns. He heaved a heavy sigh as he laid back against the chair. "I was made a servant to the king," he said slowly, not meeting Seok-Jin's eyes, knowing what kind of expression he had. He walked hastily over to Ha-Neul expecting to hear more. "His servant? Why!?" He understood his tone since he didn't know the whole truth. There was so much fear in Ha-Neul's life, it was the worst type of feeling, especially when you didn't have someone to talk to. So he let go of his fears, he didn't need any more of that. If he ended up losing Seok-Jin, there wasn't much to do. He would rather live a truthful life, than lying to his friend. He needed him for the time to come. 

"He found out my secret. I'm a sinner, I like people of the same sex." his voice cracked painfully, as he forced himself to look at Seok-Jin. The expression on his face was a mixture of disappointment and confusion. It was expected though. His chest tightened and he looked down in shame. "I kinda already knew, the way you look at other guys and it kinda explains why you painted the king" Ha-Neul looked up at Seok-Jin with a look of pure surprise. He expected Seok-Jin to say more, he had to say more? Why hadn't he said anything before! 

"I might not understand this attraction, but I have known you for so long, I'm not gonna just throw that away." he continued making a warm spread through Ha-Neul and a smile appear on his lips. Seok-Jin still wanted to see him, he had misjudged his friend and he was so glad he had. "What I don't understand though... Why would the King keep you around when he knows?" that was a question even Ha-Neul wanted an answer on. He just shrugged his shoulder, not really paying that any mind, he was still stuck on Seok-Jin accepting him. It was like a heavy burden lifting from his shoulder. He knew he wouldn't say anything to anyone. If he had known for so long, Ha-Neul knew he could trust him with anything. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Until next time


End file.
